LA SCEP and RSO Fees: Rental Registration Guide

Which properties this applies to

Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 151.05 requires owners of units covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) to register each unit annually. Coverage generally includes apartments, condos, townhomes, duplexes, and most residential buildings with a certificate of occupancy issued before October 1978. Exemptions apply in some cases, so confirm coverage with the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD).

The annual fees

LAHD bills up to three per-unit fees each year: the RSO fee, the Just Cause Ordinance (JCO) fee for units covered by that ordinance, and the Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP) fee. LAHD's billing fee schedule lists regular per-unit fees of $38.75 (RSO), $31.05 (JCO) and $67.94 (SCEP), for a total of $137.74 per unit if all three apply. Which fees apply depends on the unit. The fee schedule doesn't state which billing year it covers, so confirm the current year with LAHD.

The annual cycle

The fees are due by the last day of February. If they are paid late, LAHD's delinquent fees are $58.13 (RSO), $46.58 (JCO) and $135.88 (SCEP) per unit. A property owing all three delinquent fees would pay $240.59 per unit.

What happens if you don't pay

Late payment raises the per-unit amount, as shown above. Confirm with LAHD what other consequences apply to a late or missing registration before relying on any of them.